A Hostile Encounter
The trio was on their way to Yugoslav on a lovely sunny day.
"Watch out!" shouted Leon but it was too late.
The ground exploded and a cloud of dust surrounds them. Leon was unscathed by the explosion but Rose burned her hand.
"Your soul level is not high enough to withstand the explosion. This is one of the skills of Yen, the number 5 ranked hunter," said Leon. "We manage to attract the worst one of them all. Yen is always obsessed with money and with the prize attached to James' head, he will stop at nothing to get his reward. Your burn will heal soon enough, this explosion is only a trivial skill of his. He hasn't use his full strength yet. I think he wants to separate us with James."
True enough, when the dust settles, James was nowhere to be seen.
"Oh well, all we can do now is to wait for his return. For the time being, how about we discuss about you, Rose. It seems the Association is expecting a lot from you. A person that got injured from a small skill like this, just what is so valuable about you that the Association put you at such a high regard?"
"I afraid I can't disclose that information. If anything, you should go and ask the Association yourself."
"Hmm…oh well although this is the first time I lay my eyes on you, I got to say you do have an amazing pair of eyes."
Rose looked away to break Leon's gaze.
"I wonder if James will be okay being trapped in Yen's pocket world."
"In whose world will I be trapped in?" asked James who is standing beside Leon now. James was holding an unconscious man in his arms.
"I made my right choice not to hunt you. That guy is our Association's No 5 you are holding."
"I can see that which is why I did not hold back and tried to end the fight as soon as possible. I am not going to try to measure his strength when I am surrounded with so many uncertainties," said James.
"Fighting with you is no fun," said Leon.
"I guess so. So what do we do with this guy?"
"Just tie him up at the tree there and we leave. He will be able to escape the ropes when he wakes up."
James did as he was told.
While he was tying the ropes.
Rose suddenly lean close to Leon
"He felt weird, I don't think he is James….""
"Hmm…." Leon was thinking.
"Done," said James.
"Alright, let's leave," Leon lead the way but he started to walk another path which does not lead to Yugoslav.
"Then where is the real James?" asked Leon softly as Rose was standing beside her.
"I have no idea…what do we do now?" asked Rose.
"Let's not rush things now. If he is a demon trying to disguise as James, we need to get more people on our side. He is James after all."
"Erh, hmm…" cough James.
"Isn't the way to Yugoslav that way?" asked James.
Leon bit his lips. Rose placed her hands beside her weapons.
"Oh well, I guess we have to fight our way through this."
Rose nod her head.
In a sync movement, as soon as they turned to face James, they unsheathe their weapons and sliced James. But he dodged.
"I guess I can't fool you two enough."
"Who are you and where is James?"
"You are looking at him. What are you talking about?" said him.
"Don't lie!" Rose glared at him.
"Don't talk with him anymore, it's not clever to talk with a demon," said Leon.
"Ah, smart guy, but I have reserve a person just for you so that I can have a chat with this lovely lady here,"
Appear in front of Leon was Yen, the guy who got knocked a couple of moments ago.
"What, you too?"
Leon got kick away into the forest.
"Now, while your friends is occupied with my friend, why don't we have a chat, remnants of Lus, Rose Viante…." said James.
"You are…?!"
"Oh, from the look of your face, it seems you know who am I. No wonder you are able to expose me so easily. My ability to disguise myself is quite superb you know."
"How can I not recognized that wretched Soul of yours."
"Oh, who is talking with me now? Lus herself, or you Rose, the humanity that Lus discarded centuries ago?"
From the ground, plant vines emerged and binded James' body.
"Ah, rose vines. The power which manifested from your soul."
Rose closed her palm and the bind started to tighten itself.
"Erghh..Argh…."'
James was getting squeezed to death. From his eyes, blood started flowing out and he begin vomiting out his guts. And at the final moment, the whole body collapse inwards.
Rose was panting.
"If you think that is enough to kill me, you must be kidding me. As one of the Demon Lords, you should know better…"
A shadow appeared behind her and it was James again.
"So why did you decide to help that guy called James?" asked James.
"It's none of your business," shouted Rose
"…." Rose was quiet.
"He is a threat alright. I never expected such a being even existed. I guess I have to fear for my life now…just kidding."
"Tsch…"
"Jeez, is that how you show gratitude to the guy who gives you salvation from that pitiable state. A girl who is just merely a political tool to satisfy the sexual desire of men. That girl who has no other choice but to be sold to a kingdom and become their sex slave and to give birth to many children. And then, later on, the demon who even sacrificed her own children and the innocents of the kingdom to awaken as a demon lord. What a story you have there!"
"You deceived me!"
"I deceived you? Oh, just how? All I did was to give you a chance for salvation and you accepted it desperately." James was wearing a huge grin which is an unusual expression to be worn on his face.
"You are a demon!"
"Me, a demon? Just who is the demon here? I didn't kill my own bloodline just so I can save myself? Oh come on, Rose, you are confusing everybody here. I am your savior and you are an ungrateful piece of shit."
"Enough!"
Rose sliced her weapon but James dodged it with ease.
"Sighed…..just when I thought you are the descendants of Michael…."
"You are a monster…. You are the one who started the war. You orchestrated it all. And because of it, I…I have to go through all that shit!"
"Ah….to be honest, I never really thought you are going to be involved in it. It just so happen that you possess those pair of beautiful eyes that I can't help but be reminded just how despicable that thing is. I can't call that hideous thing as a creation of our almighty God. Oh poor me. And let me correct you, I did not start the war. It was the Sun King, isn't it? He has this awesome ambition where he wants the whole world in his hand so that he can cleanse all impurity and create a utopia. Why wouldn't I help a person to achieve such a noble goal? It will be going against my decree if I don't offer him a helping hand."
"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"Nope, you are not," James lifted up one finger and Rose was paralyzed.
"Don't forget that you belong to me. I have enough of you showering your rage towards me. You are treating me like a monster here. But I can deduce what are you trying to plan here. Since you are unable to hurt me, you are trying to use that little James boy there to defeat me. What a smart girl you are. But I bet you know almost nothing about the origin of his power, do you."
Rose didn't now.
"Thought so. Only I know about it. In fact, I think I am the only person in this world who knows about it. But you really do trust your instinct so much so to even use your own Soul to revive him from the brink of death."
Rose was struggling to speak.
"Oh, oops," he snapped his fingers. Rose was panting.
"You can speak now so what you were trying to say?"
"He is the manifestation of all the people's prayers to drag you from your mighty thrones. He is what God has sent to end your life."
"Hmm, God, eh. Such words coming out from a demon's mouth. Be careful not to get your tongue burn, because God doesn't like demons. But what do you know about God? You are too young to speak as if you know how this world works, my dear Rose."
"Where did you send James?!" demanded Rose.
"I am trying to help him in his mission to kill all the demon lords. So I sent him to Pupiar."
"Why are you helping him?"
"You don't question a supreme being for his action. You know why? Because it's too complicated for a mere mortal mind to comprehend the grand scheme of things. Do you ever ask God why certain things happen and then God actually replies to you? Definitely bot, God does not have the time in his hand to reply to your insignificant questions. He has more urgent matters to attend and satisfying your curiosity is definitely not important at all."
"I can never bring myself to withstand your obnoxious attitude."
"Don't I have the right to be arrogant, my dear Rose?"
"...."
Rose was trying to break free from James's hold of her.
"Ah, I guess you agree with me then. I am sure you, of all people, know what I am capable of and only those who have power can allow themselves to be proud and for that is the right of the strong. The strong is allow to do whatever they want. Therefore, I don't see a reason for me not to be prideful. It would be a shame to not be proud of what I am capable of."
Rose was still trying to break free from James' hold on her.
"Futile resistance."
Jame snaps his finger and Rose was released.
"You can't escape fate, Rose, and your fate is up to me to decide. With a snap of a finger, your life can end just like that and with a snap of my finger, you will lose all your mobility and with another snap of my finger, your mobility will return."
"If you think the boy you risk your life to save can break free from the fate that I have fully grasp in my hands all this while then feel free to think so. It would be an insult to my pride if I refuse to accept a challenge."